


on the way to the promised land

by blackwell



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, Recreational Drug Use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-07
Updated: 2014-06-07
Packaged: 2018-02-03 19:51:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1755611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackwell/pseuds/blackwell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When he first sees helicopters overhead, he knows it’s Rhodey, and he assumes he’s died.</p><p>It makes sense, after all—the only way they’d let Tony Stark into heaven would be if good old by-the-book Rhodey were around to keep an eye on him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	on the way to the promised land

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Highway to Hell"

When he first sees helicopters overhead, he knows it’s Rhodey, and he assumes he’s died.

It makes sense, after all—the only way they’d let Tony Stark into heaven would be if good old by-the-book Rhodey were around to keep an eye on him. 

But then he remembers the burning heat of the sun and the grittiness of the sand, and he knows this isn’t heaven. He shouts, raises his arm above his head, laughs.

The helicopter lands and Tony falls to his knees as five men run toward him, Rhodey at point.

 

Later, in the helicopter, Rhodey reaches over his shoulder blades, wraps an arm around him. “Tony. Of all the stupid things you’ve done, man…”

Tony closes his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. So sorry I was kidnapped by terrorists and living on the edge of death in some cave in Afghanistan. That was pretty thoughtless of me, wasn’t it?”

Rhodey smiles, just a little bit. “Yeah. It was.”

Tony’s body begins to crumple, like he’s going to collapse at any second, and Rhodey pulls him in, closer to his side.

“Rhodey?” Tony’s voice is a rasp, a wheeze. “I’m fortunate…I’m fortunate to have you as a part of my life. I know that. I don’t say it often enough.”

“Oh God. Get the medic, it’s than we thought!”

“Come on, man, I’m not fucking with you for once. I…I…”

And then the world goes dark.

 

Somewhere up above him, there’s a bright light, and it’s shining directly into his eyes. He appreciates it. It reminds him that he’s not in the cave. 

“Rhodey?”

“I’m here.”

He turns his head toward the sound of his voice and opens his eyes. “Where am I?”

“Rechts der Isar Hospital. In Germany. You’re almost home.”

“I’m pretty sure my home has more comfortable mattresses than this.”

Rhodey snorts. “Wanna sit up?”

Tony nods, and Rhodey moves a lever on the bed that sends his torso lurching toward the ceiling at an alarming velocity.

“Whoa. Sorry.”

“You know, I kind of thought you were joking when you said it was worse than you thought.”

“I thought I was, too.”

“Aww, Rhodey. And here I was thinking you cared.”

Rhodey half-leans out of his chair to put a hand on his knee. “I do care, Tony.”

Tony look at the hand on his knee—that’s new, isn’t it? Isn’t it? He’s not sure, it’s all a little fuzzy.

Whatever. New or old, he kind of likes it. He reaches down and takes Rhodey’s hand in his.

They’re still holding hands when the nurse comes in an hour later, and her eyes fall at once to the fingers laced together on Tony’s leg. 

“How are you, Mr. Stark?” she asks, and her voice is gentle. 

“I’m great,” he says, as a reflex, before he realizes that he’s not. If he were great, he wouldn’t be in this bed in Rechts der Isar Hospital. He wouldn’t have been holding hands with Rhodey for the last hour. 

“What I mean to say is, I’m great for a man who was kidnapped and trapped in a cave in Afghanistan and then built a metal bodysuit and flew it out. Did you hear about that? Cause it was pretty awesome, just saying.”

The nurse gives him a strange look and leaves.

“What’s wrong with her? Does she not speak English or something?”

“She thinks you’re high.”

“I’m sure I’d have noticed if I was high.”

“I’ve seen the list of medications you’re on. And besides, you just said you fly a metal bodysuit. You don’t fly anything, I would know. Trust me, you’re high.”

“Well then.” He can feel things getting fuzzier. “This is not the good kind of high.”

 

The next time he’s the good kind of high, it’s some time later and Tony’s world is a different place.

“So,” Rhodey says, passing him the joint, “no more weapons, huh?”

Tony breathes in, breathes out. “No more.”

“Well.”

“Well what?”

They’re in the workshop and the vent is on, even though it doesn’t need to be. It reminds him of their MIT days, of the fear (on Rhodey’s part—it was more like mild concern on his) that the RA was going to break into the room and bust them any minute.

The lights are bright, but Rhodey is staring down at the table between them, and he can’t get a good look at his face. 

“Well. I’m proud of you.”

“Really? Stane wasn’t impressed.”

“Do you care?”

“About Stane? No. But…part of me thinks I’m making a huge mistake.”

“You’re not.”

And then Rhodey takes his hand again, in a firm and certain grip that could almost pass for friendly.

Almost.

Tony doesn’t know what it is, this thing between them, but he’d rather like to find out, so he leans across the table and kisses Rhodey.

He prides himself on knowing how to kiss, but even he can admit that this isn’t his best work. The table between them makes for an awkward angle, and he’s high enough that his coordination isn’t what it could be.

Still, he’s pretty sure this is the best kiss of his life. Rhodey parts his lips just enough that Tony can run his tongue between them, and it’s too good and not enough all at once. He breaks away just long enough to come around to Rhodey’s side of the table and plant himself on his lap. 

The angle is better now, and he can press himself against Rhodey and let Rhodey wrap and arm around him. Rhodey’s lips are soft, softer even than a woman’s, and Tony moans into them.

But Rhodey stands up, sets him down. “We can’t do this.”

“What? Why not?” His hands are on Rhodey’s hips—when did that happen?—and one finger is sneaking under his belt.

“Because you’re high. I’m high. We’re both high. Terrible idea.”

“Yeah, but you’re talking like me now, so I must have gotten to you.”

He grabs Rhodey by the back of his neck, tries to pull him into another kiss, but Rhodey shakes him off. “Look, I want to, Tony. But not now. We’ll talk about it in the morning, okay?”

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

Rhodey leaves the workshop, and Tony remains by the table with a joint in his hand. He should feel lonely, but he doesn’t. He feels alive.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything in a very (very very very) long time, so please go easy on me.


End file.
